Kingsley in line for Iron Man 3

SIR Ben Kingsley is in line to star in Iron Man 3. The Hugo actor is in final negotiations for the role of the villain in Marvel Studios’ sequel, reports Variety. It has been confirmed that Kingsley will not play Tony Stark’s controversial foe The Mandarin. His character will instead be based on Mallen, a villain enhanced with a nanotech virus. The character appeared in Warren Ellis’s ‘Extremis’ storyline, on which the film will be loosely based. Written by Drew Pearce and director Shane Black, Iron Man 3 will see Robert Downey Jr reprise his role as the titular hero. Kingsley is currently filming Ender’s Game, in which he will star alongside Asa Butterfield, Abigail Breslin and Harrison Ford. –DS